FOREIGN VESSELS.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1487, 16 November 1874, Page 2

FOREIGN VESSELS.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sir, —Can you or any one of your numerous readers give me information on the following questions relating to vessels under a foreign flag ? 1. Is a foreign vessel allowed to come into our waters and trade from port to port on our coast to the injury of the interests of our own vessels ? 2. If a foreign vessel be allowed the privelege of trading on our coast or from our ports, should she not for the time being be compelled to comply with our Board of Trade regulations as regards the entry and discharge of seamen &c. ? 3. If a foreign vessel enters one of our ports and the crew should, from any unjust treatment which they may have received on hoard, desire to leave their vessel, should not the authorities or Consul represeuting the vessel's nation, investigate the matter and see justice to them, and that they be sent back to their own country ? 4. If the crew of any foreign vessel, coming into one of our ports, should desert or be discharged, is the captain of such vessel allowed to ship an English crew, without reference to any authority whatever, and sail from the port without the said crew having signed any articles or paid any shipping fees &c. ? o. In reference to question 4, should any seamen so ship, what protection would they have should the foreign master at any time, m a distant or foreign port, dispute his claim to wages for such time as he may have been on board his vessel ? 6. Should any foreign shipmaster illegally enter or discharge any English seaman in one of our ports^ is he hable to the sames fines and penalties as an English shipmaster would be under the same circumstances. My object in asking these questions is on account of a doubt existing in the minds of a few of our shipping men as to the justice (?) of a foreign schooner now lying m harbour being apparently allowed to do m English waters just whatever her owner pleases. English vessels going foreign the masters and mates must have certificates of competency before they are allowed to depart ; and why should a foreign vessel be allowed to trade from our port when the master and mate have neither certificates of service or competency ? Is this just ? Should it be allowed?-1 remain, sir, One concerned in the Shipping Interest op Auckland. [We shall refer to our correspondent s remarks in to-morrow's issue ]